Automatic rapid-fire cannon.



K. VD'LLER.

AUTOMATIC RAPID FIRE CANNON.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22. 1907.

Patented May 30, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IIV VENTOR K. VULLER.

AUTOMATIC RAPID FIRE CANNON.

APPLIOATIO R' FILED AUG. 22. 1907.

Patfinted Iviay 30, 1911.

. 4 BHEETSBHEET 2.

K. V'O'LLER.

AUTOMATIC RAPID FIRE CANNON.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22. 1907.

Patented May 30, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

K. V'O'LLER.

AUTOMATIC RAPID FIRE CANNON.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22. 1907.

QQSJMA D memea May 30,1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNETED STATQhZti KARL VULLER, OE DUSSELDQRF, GERMANY.

AUTOMATIC RAPID-FIRE CANNON.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL VoLLnn, engineer, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at 1T Fiilicherstrasse'. Dusseldorf, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Rapid- Fire Cannons; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic rapid fire cannons and has for its object the provision of means whereby the operations of opening the breech, loading the gun and closing the breech will be performed automatic-all y by the movement of the barrel under the influence of the ex 'ianding gases, whereby the loss of time usually due to these operations will be prevented and the rapidity of firing ot the cannon will be increased. Other incidental objects of the invention will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings which fully illustrate the invention, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vi-n'tical section of a cannon embodying the improvements; Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same Fig. 3 a detail transverse section on the line A ait of Fig. 1; Fig. l is a detail longitudinal section of the rear end of the barrel showing a cartridge in position to be inserted within the barrel; Fig. an enlarged view of the device as shown in :l ig. l with the barrel thrown backward against the breech; Fig. (5 is a detail view showing the loading bridge in its lowered position; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. l, and on a larger scale; Fig. 8 a transverse section similar to Fig. 3, but on a larger scale and showing the parts in a. dillcrcut position; lligs. f) and ii are respectively vertical and horizontal sections oil the breech mechanism; and l 'ig. l0 an end elevation of the same.

The cannon is supported on the usual carriage which is provided with a forwardly extcndii'ig spur or brace 0, which may be telescopic in construction so as to be raised and supported h the carriage. when the can non is being moved 'l'romplace to place and upon the carria" provide a seat 2 tor the gunner, while a acent to the said seat is arranged the usual jack or hoisting screw 3 to permit the gun to be given proper elevation. Thin screw 5, as clearly shown, is conl l l l Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 2-2, 1907.

Patented May 39, aerial No 389,113.

nected to what I term the upper carriage, which consists essei'itially ot a, cylinder l in which is mounted a returning spring 5 and a fluid pressure brake mechanism (3, the said spring serving; toihold the gun barrel (,1 against the breech block (2 and the brake mechanism serving to gradually absorb the energy of the forwardly moving barrel (Z in the act of firing The barrel (Z is provided at its front end with :1 depending plate or lip 7 which is connected to the piston of the fluid pressure brake so as to operate the same and to compress the return spring during the forward movement of the barrel, will be readily understood. The rear end of the barrel engages over the breech block c and is provided on one side with a cam groove lo, the purpose of which will pres ently appear.

The cartridges (4 are placed in a magazine I) which projects laterally from the rear end of the upper carriage and is so arranged that, the cartridges placed therein will roll dmvnward through the magazine to a posi tion in front of the breech block and in alinenient with the gun barrel. The movement of the czirtrirlges downward through, the magazine is intercepted by a Feeding tray 0 having an inwardly extending" arm a and a curved tooth or lip c. the said tooth or lip benignrrangcd to engage between two adjacent cartridges when the lray in the loading position, and thereby arrest the movement. of all the cartridges except the one on the tray, as will be readily un lcrstood on reference to Fig. 3 lo the l)- r:l tion oi the tray shown in the said l i i the arm a will rest upon a loading bri l. and will form an inclined plane down Wllltli the carlridgi: may roll on to the said bridge wh a it will be supported by the said bridge i 'lhe said loading bridge 7" is supported bv rods o passing llllft lll lugs g1 whiclrare pivoted on the sides oi; the upper carriage, the. bridge being p21 I u \vardibv snrin coiled around the sau. rods between the said lugs and annu houlilers ir on the rods, as clearly shown and as will he understood.

The bridge is constructed in sections or links which are connected by hinges m at the i ea upper ends of the rods whereby the bridge will move flexibly under the barrel so as to secure the desired ease of operation. The front section of the bridge, as clearlyshown in Figs. 5 and 7, rests directly upon the upper carriage or brake cylinder 4t, whereby it presents an inclined surface to the end of the moving gun barrel so that the bridge will operate without any jerk or shock. The rear end of the bridge is sup ported by a rod 9 which is normally pressed upward by a suitable spring and is secured shown in Fig. 7.

The loading tray 0 ispivotally mounted in the walls of the lower end of the maga-- zine I) and its front pivot is extended forward in the form. of a shaft 25 mounted in suitable hearings on the side of the'carriage, and provided at its front end with a ointed crank arm 2', the end of which engages the cam groove k in the side of the barrel, whereby, as the barrel moves forward and backward, the loading tray will be rotated to permit the feeding of the cartridges as before stated.

In Figs. 9, 10, and 11 I have illustrated a construction whereby the breech block may be manually moved. away from the barrel, it being understood that the first cartridge must be placed in its loading position manually and that the subsequent operations are accomplished through the firing of the gun.

, In the construction shown in these Figs.

55 guide '0 upon the breech block so as to re- 9, 10 and. 11, the rear end of the upper carriage is provided in its upper side with gun barrel, and in the said grooves is mounted a guide 4; which carries the breech block 6 and is so constructed as to lock the block in place in its normal position the block being capable of rotation but incapable of sliding and the guide 0 being constructed with a bayonet -joint lock. Atone, side this guide is provided with an off-set having teeth '0 which mesh with a pinion y formed on the crank pin w of a crank w, which is journaled in a projection on the side of the upper carriage and is provided with a handle 2 by means of which it may be operated. The breech block 6 is constructed with a pair of outstanding ears m which encircle the crank pin '11: and thereby permit the.

breech block to be swung around the axis of saidpin. When the crank arm is moved rearward the gearing y and 0 will turn the lease the lock formed by the guide o and the grooves in in the upper carriage. A further movement of the crank W1ll swing the breech block and the guide to the rear so as to free the breech opening. A cartridge being then inserted between the breech block and the barrel, the breech is brought back to its normal position and the operations above described will follow upon the firing of the cannon.

\Vhen the gun is fired the force of the explosion will move the barrel forward from the breech block. This forward -movement of the barrel will cause the cam groove is to act on the crank arm i so as to rotate the shaft t and therebyturn the loading tray from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 8, whereupon the cartridge which had been previously received by the loading tray will roll down the same on to the bridge and eject therefrom the shell of the cartridge just fired. As the barrel returns to its initial position it will pass ovei and depress the loading bridge f so as to encircle the cartridge thereon, and the action of the cam groove and the crank arm 2' will cause a reverse movement of the shaft t and return the loading tray to the position shown in Fig. 3.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination of a forwardly moving gun barrel, a breech block, means to normally hold the barrel against the breech block, and a'fiuid pressure brake to gradually arrest the forward movement of the barrel. i V

2. The combination of a forwardly moving gun barrel, a rotatable loading tray arranged at one side of the barrel and slightly above the center of 'the same, and intermediate connections whereby upon forward movement of the barrel the tray will be ro- ,tated to deposit a cartridge behind the barrel. grooves u arranged concentrically with the The combination of a' forwardly movto support a cartridge in the rear of the barrel when the same is in its forward position, a loading tray arranged at one side of the bridge in position to deposit a cartridge thereon, and means actuated bythe barrel to operate the tray to place a cartridge upon the bridge during the time of the forward movement of the barrel.

4. The combination with a forwardly moving gun barrel, of a magazine arranged at one side and above the center of the barrel, a rotatable loading tray interposed between the magazine and the side of the gun barrel and arranged parallel, to'the axis of the barrear of the barrel duringthe forward movjement of the same,

5. The combination with a forwardly moving gun barrel, of a cartridge supporting bridge arranged in position to be depressed by the rear end of the barrel when the same is in its initial position, means for elevating said bridge into position to receive and support a cartridge, and other means operated by the movement of the barrel to place a cartridge on the bridge when the same is in its elevated position.

3. The combination with a torwardlymovr ing gun barrel, of a cartridge supporting bridge arranged in position to be depressed by the rear end of the barrel when in its initial position, the said bridge consisting of links or sections flexibly connected, spring supports for the said bridge, and means operated by the movement of the barrel to place a cartridge on the bridge when the barrel is in its forward position,

'3, The combination, with a forwardly moving gun barrel provided with a cam groove in its side, of a loading tray having a forwardly extending-shaft, and a cranl; arm on aid shaft engaging the groove in the gun barrel whereby the movement of the barrel will rotate the loading tray so as to etlcct a feeding of a cartridge on the tray into position to enter the barrel.

8. The combination with a magazine and a flnwardly moving gun barrel, of a loading tray arranged in the. lower end of the magazine at one side of the gun barrel and having a lip adapted to project upward between two adjm-enl cartridges in the magazine, and an extruded 'uwardly projecting arm arranged to guide a cartridge received by the tray into position to enter the gun lmrrei. and means operated by the gun barrel to oscillate the said tray.

9. The combination of a forwardly moving gun barre a vertically movable bridge adapted to support a cartridge in rear of the barrel, a magazine arranged at one side ot the barrel, a rotatable loading tray arranged at one side ot the barrel in the lower end oi the magazine, and means operated by the gun barrel to rotate the loading tray whereby a cartridge will be fed from the magazine on to the elevated bridge.

it). 'ihe combiimtion ot' a forwardly movfun barrel, a vertically movable car- ;resupporting bridge arranged in rear e barrel. a magazine at one side of the a rotatable loading tray in the lower i the magazine having an extended arm adapted to project upward and restrain a cartridge on the tray or to rest on the bridge and permit the cartridge to pass onto the same winul it is in its elevated position, and men is operated by the gun barrel for rot; ting the tray.

1 The combination of aforwardly mov- U l n gun oarreh a breech block, a loading arranged at one side of and slightly above the barrel, means to automatically supply cartridges to the tray, and means actuated by the movement of the barrel to cause the tray to deposit a cartridge between the breech block and the barrel.

12. The combination of a forwardly moving gun barrel, a breech block, means to normally hold the barrel against the breech block, a fluid pressure brake to gradually arrest the forward movement of the barrel, a cartridge magazine arranged adjacent the breech block, a loading tray arranged to receive the cartridges from the magazine and deposit them in position to enter the breech upon the return of the barrel, and means actuated by the movement of the barrel to opcrate the tray.

13. In a gas operated gun, the combination, with a forwardly moving gun barrel, a breech block, means to normally hold the barrel against the breech block, and a fluid pressure brake to gradually arrest the forward movement of the barrel, of a loading device, and means actuated by the movement of the barrel to operate the loading device.

ll. In a. gas operated gun, the c01nbination, with a for ardly moving gun barrel, :1 breech block, means to normally hold the barrel against the breech block, and a fluid pressure brake to gradually arrest the f0rward movement of the barrel, of a magazine adjacent the breech, a loading tray be tween the magazine and breech, and means actuated by the movement of the barrel to operate the loading tray to transfer the cartridges from the magazine to the breech.

15. In a gas operated gun, the combination, with a forwardly moving gun barrel, a breech block, means to normally hold the barrel against the breech block, and a fluid pressure brake to gradually arrest the forward movement of the barrel, of a. bridge arranged to be brought into position to support a cartridge between the breech and barrel when the barrel is in its forward position and to be moved from such position by the return of the barrel.

16. In a gas operated gun, the combination, with a forwardly moving gun barrel, a breech block, means to normally hold the barrel against the breech block, and a fluid pressure brake to gradually arrest the forward movement of the barrel, of a bridge arranged to be brought into position to support a cartridge between the breech and barrel when the barrel is in its forward position and to be moved from such position by the return of the barrel. a maga zine adjacent the ln-idge, and a loading tray operated by the moving barrel to transfer the cartridge from the magazine to the bridge when in its loading position.

17. In a gun, the combination, with a barrel and breech separated forfloading by the action of the gases, of a bridge arranged to receive and support a cartridge between the affixed my signature in the presence of two separated barrel and breech and to be de- Witnesses.

pressed from such position by the return of the parts, the said bridge consisting of sec- KARL VOLLER' 5 tions flexibly cog inected and spring supports Witnesses:

for the sections. M. ENeELs,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto ALFRED PonLMmn. 

